- 21 hours ago
In 'Ghost Trails', Hoppy and Red investigate robberies where bandits disappear after riding short distances.
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00:00Here he comes, there's the truppets, there's the drums, here he comes, I belong, Cassidy,
00:11here he comes.
00:15First it had been the Bonanza Mine over near Mesa City.
00:32They had held that up in broad daylight and got away with more than $20,000 worth of gold.
00:45Three nights later, they held up the owner of the Silver Dollar Gambling Hall in Verde and
00:58got away with over $10,000.
01:02Then four nights ago, they had hit the bank at Big Rock City for their biggest haul, and
01:23it killed the night watchman as well.
01:29All this had happened within 10 days, within 50 miles of the town of Twin Rivers, so because
01:39there had been army money stolen from the bank at Big Rock, the government had asked me and
01:43my saddle pal Red Connors to step in.
01:46Well, from what you've told me, the men who held up the bank and the mine must be the same
01:50outfit.
01:51We're positive of it, Cassidy, and we've checked with the man who ran the gambling hall at Verde.
01:56His description of the men tallies with ours.
01:59And you say in all three cases, there was a posse out after the robbers within 10 minutes
02:03of the hold-up?
02:04Yes.
02:05They must have left some kind of a trail.
02:07They did.
02:08A clear one.
02:09By the time, the posse's lost it.
02:10What kind of posse's do you call them?
02:13If you give me and Hoppy any kind of a trail, we'll follow it.
02:16I doubt if you could do what he better read.
02:18In each case, the trail of the three horses led a few miles out of town.
02:22Then the very same thing would happen.
02:24The unsaddled horses would be found with the footprints of the men who had ridden them vanishing
02:29into thin air.
02:30And what about the brands on the horses?
02:33Again, the same thing would happen.
02:36They were all those horses that had been stolen from some nearby ranch.
02:40I'm afraid you've got your work on this job cut out for you, Cassidy.
02:44Yeah, I'm afraid I have, with 50 square miles of territory to cover with a fine-toothed comb
02:49and not too good a description of the men to work on.
02:52Well, I'm sorry we couldn't have been more helpful.
02:56Well, thanks for coming over.
02:58Thank you, Mr. Murphy.
03:00We'll keep in touch with you.
03:04Well, looks like we're in for a little excitement again, Hoppy.
03:07That should please you.
03:08Sure does.
03:09You know, things have been altogether too peaceable around here for me.
03:12Where do we go from here?
03:13Ah, first we better start checking up on any strangers in the territory.
03:17And now's a good time to begin.
03:19The sooner the better.
03:22We didn't start soon enough.
03:31What's wrong?
03:32I'm in for a lecture on my fight in sinful ways.
03:35What do you mean?
03:36That peddling Deacon Denby's coming back into town.
03:38Ah, it might do you good.
03:40Come on, let's go.
03:41Hoppy.
03:45Hey, that's a stage driver with him.
03:50I heard.
03:51That's a great title.
04:06What happened, Morgan?
04:07Our friend fell among evil people.
04:09Cassidy?
04:10We can see that for ourselves.
04:12What happened?
04:13Three men held up the stage a 10-mile Ford.
04:18They killed Denison, who was riding shotgun with me.
04:21Then they took the Express Company Strongbox.
04:23But I winged one of them before he creased me.
04:26Then what?
04:27Well, then I passed out.
04:29And when I came to, they had cut my horses loose.
04:32So I started walking on down the road toward town.
04:35And I was just about to pass out again when the Deacon came along and picked me up.
04:41Boys, get him over to the doctor right away, will you?
04:44Thanks, Deacon, for what you've done for me.
04:46No need for thanks, son.
04:47I merely did what the Good Samaritan did many years ago.
04:50You go along now.
04:52Deacon, you live out around 10-mile Ford.
04:55You didn't happen to see three men riding together, all about 35, 40 years old?
04:59No, I'm afraid I can't be any help to you there, Marshal.
05:02I come to town to see if some goods that I needed had arrived.
05:05So I took the shortcut from my place to here.
05:08I saw no one until I picked up the stagecoach driver just outside of town.
05:12I see.
05:13All right, thanks.
05:14We better get out there before that trail gets cold.
05:22You know, Hoppy, I sort of like that song singing old Coot,
05:25even though he does lecture me every time he sees me.
05:27Oh, he just does it for your own good.
05:29See, you don't think I do wrong, do you? I mean really wrong.
05:31Of course not, you just do it the hard way.
05:33Oh, there you go again.
05:35Oh, cheer up, Red.
05:36We may get into trouble yet.
05:38Today, maybe.
05:39Today, maybe.
05:40Today, maybe.
05:51Red and I had picked up the trail of three horses back at the stagecoach
05:54and had followed them as they circled the hill to come back near the road a mile from the holdup.
06:00So far, so good.
06:01But here, where we found the saddleless horses,
06:04this robbery began to take on the same pattern as the others.
06:08There were the clear imprints of boots of three men
06:11and just as suddenly the footprints had disappeared into thin air.
06:14But this time they had left a clue, a blood-stained handkerchief still damp.
06:29And another clue, the tracks of a wagon that had stood where the footprints ended.
06:34Now I had a clear idea of just how the bandits had gone about the business of throwing pursuers off their trail.
06:40Just before their robberies, they had hidden a wagon in some nearby place.
06:45After the robberies, they had ridden stolen horses to the wagon and had driven off leaving no trace.
06:51But this time somebody had slipped up.
06:56The right rear wheel had been repaired with a rim plate
06:59and the track of it left a definite trail that was as easy to follow as a signboard.
07:03We followed the wheel track across 10 mile forward and it kept leading toward town.
07:11Then at the crossroads, we lost it.
07:13A train of freight wagons had turned in from a side road.
07:16And their wide wheel rims had completely erased the track we were following.
07:20Now all I had to do was look for a wagon with a repaired rear wheel.
07:26And there were probably dozens like that right in our own neighborhood.
07:31Then all of a sudden, a thought struck me.
07:33The stage holdup could have a second purpose.
07:36To lure the law away from town.
07:38After all, the bank in Twin Rivers was one of the richest in the district.
07:42And the tracks had been headed that way.
07:50We just stopped by to see if everything was all right.
08:12Did you think it wouldn't be?
08:14You're darn right.
08:15The trail of them holdup men's wagon was headed right toward town.
08:17And we lost the trail.
08:19Uh, we just wondered if you had any unexpected visitors.
08:23The only unexpected visitor we've had today is my friend Denby over there.
08:27And of course, you men know him.
08:29Yeah, sure, he's a friend of ours too.
08:31He's one of my best depositors.
08:34Keeps a large account here.
08:36Almost a hundred dollars, ain't it Denby?
08:39Yes sir, Brother Boyle.
08:41Ninety-six dollars and forty cents worth of the root of all evil.
08:44When the sum reaches a hundred dollars,
08:46I trust you'll send it to the missionary's fund as usual.
08:49Yeah, I was just having my little joke, Denby.
08:52I know what little you do earn goes for a good cause.
08:55Well, thank you, Brother.
08:56I only do what all men should do for each other.
08:59And now I must go.
09:00I'm leaving early in the morning on another trip.
09:03And there's several chores that I must attend to.
09:06Oh, uh, Marshal.
09:08I'm sorry you weren't successful in your search for the bandits.
09:11I should have enjoyed the opportunity to wrestle with Satan for their souls.
09:16I'd just like to wrestle with them.
09:18Oh, Brother Connors, you were born to be a man of violence.
09:21Will you never learn that the meek shall inherit the earth?
09:24Oh, I know all about that.
09:26Them who live by the guns die by the guns thing.
09:29You mean those who live by the sword, don't you, Red?
09:32Well, swords or guns, it's all the same.
09:36Ever try shooting a sword?
09:39Well, the only meek ones I ever knew ended up by inheriting only a small plot of earth six by four.
09:45Someday, Brother, I hope to make you see the light.
09:48Won't do a bit of good, Deacon. I've been trying for years.
09:51Perhaps if you listen to my talk this evening.
09:53Are you going into another one of them long-winded sermons?
09:56Yes, it's my last chance to exhort the sinners of Twin Rivers on this trip.
10:01Thanks for warning me.
10:02I still hope to see you this evening.
10:04Good day to you, gentlemen.
10:05Good day.
10:06Good day to you, sir.
10:08Well, I'd keep my eyes open anyhow.
10:10I'm not worried about the stagecoach bandits.
10:13They're probably long gone from this district by now.
10:16They're smart.
10:17Too smart to put another job so close to the last one.
10:20That's what bothers me.
10:22They're just smart enough to figure that a lot of people have the same idea.
10:25Cassidy, I'm considered an intelligent man,
10:28and I'm willing to bet on my reasoning that I will not have a visit from those same men.
10:34Well, I hope you're right, but I wouldn't bet it your way.
10:37Come on, Red.
10:39Hey, Red.
10:40Come here.
10:41You see what I see?
10:42I don't see nothing.
10:43Oh, come here.
10:44Take a look at that.
10:45Remember seeing it before?
10:46That's the same track.
10:47Right smack dab in the middle of the street.
10:48My hunch was right.
10:49Although nothing is liable to happen now.
10:50But I'll never do that.
10:51Let's go.
10:52Oh.
10:53Let's go there.
10:54Let's go, Red.
10:55Hey, Red.
10:56Come here.
10:57You see what I see?
10:59I don't see nothing.
11:00Oh, come here.
11:01Take a look at that.
11:04Remember seeing it before?
11:07That's the same track.
11:08Right smack dab in the middle of the street.
11:09Well, my hunch was right.
11:10Nothing's liable to happen now.
11:11street. My hunch was right.
11:14Well, nothing's liable to happen now.
11:16Let's get back to the office and sweat
11:18it out.
11:20Where are you going? I'll be back in just a minute.
11:22I'll go to make a little bed with Mr. Boyle.
11:23Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
11:27And all my brethren, listen to me.
11:30Listen to me and hear me say
11:32again and again, repent.
11:34Repent and make your
11:35future bright with happiness.
11:38You wastrels, you idlers,
11:40you deniers of all that's good,
11:42cast out your sinful ways and come into the
11:44light. I haven't finished yet, Brother Connors.
11:48Purify your souls
11:50and you will know peace ever
11:52lest. Now I've traveled this
11:54beautiful country of ours from one end
11:56to the other, preaching the word.
11:58Sure is a long-winded old coos.
12:00Took him a half hour to get to get warmed
12:02up. Yeah.
12:06Now you've been very patient.
12:08But if you'll just do as
12:10I've told you tonight, then you'll reap the reward
12:12in this life as well as in the next.
12:14Well, thank you, Brother.
12:15I'm not an ordained minister, nor do I have any particular
12:18faith or creed.
12:20I just have an unbounded love
12:22and feeling of fellowship for all of mankind.
12:24And if my words here tonight have brought better understanding that...
12:29Why, thank you, Brother. Thank you.
12:31To any one of you, then I'll depart
12:33a happy man.
12:35And now, my friends,
12:36I must say farewell.
12:38Farewell and peace be with you
12:41until next I visit our fair village
12:43and remember the word for tonight.
12:46Repent.
12:47Repent and make your future
12:49a bright and happy one.
12:52Amen.
12:55I thought he never would get to that amen.
12:58Neither did I.
12:59You know, Hoppy,
13:11listening to the deacon made me think
13:12that maybe he's got the right idea
13:14about me after all.
13:16How's that?
13:17Well, I mean about always looking for trouble
13:19and, like you say,
13:21doing things the hard way.
13:23I wouldn't try reforming all of a sudden.
13:26Shock might be too great.
13:37I think you and I'd better walk across the bank.
13:40I got a feeling something is about to happen.
13:43You have?
13:44Uh-huh.
13:45Good.
13:52Help!
13:55Help!
13:59Help!
14:02Help!
14:03Help!
14:06Help!
14:11Now, you don't have to tell me what happened.
14:13They came down the alley
14:14and broke in the back door.
14:16There were two of them.
14:17They shoved a gun in my face
14:19and made me open the safe.
14:20I finally managed to roll to the front door.
14:23How long ago was this?
14:24Oh, almost an hour ago.
14:26Did they get much?
14:27Well, they cleaned out the safe.
14:34Thousands of dollars worth.
14:36I won't know exactly how much
14:37that I've gone over the books.
14:39And right under your nose, too.
14:42What about that new burglar alarm?
14:44The one that's supposed to run on batteries.
14:46Well, they cut the wires.
14:47Well, they must have known plenty
14:48about the bank in advance.
14:49Your burglar alarm
14:51and your habit of working on your books
14:52on Friday night.
14:53Well, what are you wandering around for?
14:55Why don't you find out who did it?
14:57I know who did it.
14:58The same men that held up
14:59the stagecoach this morning.
15:00Well, don't stand there.
15:02Go on out and get them.
15:03Looking for them in the dark
15:04would be like looking for a needle
15:05in a haystack.
15:06We'll go at them
15:07the first thing in the morning.
15:08Oh, a fine officer of the law you are.
15:12First you go to sleep on the job
15:13and let him clean me out.
15:15Then you give him half the night
15:16to make a getaway.
15:17If I was you,
15:18I'd turn in my badge.
15:21Now, you listen to me,
15:22you fat-headed little numbskull.
15:23Hoppy told you
15:24what was what this afternoon.
15:26If you'd listen to him,
15:27we'd have been staked out in the back.
15:29But, oh, no,
15:29you were too smart.
15:31They wouldn't think of coming here.
15:33Why, you...
15:34That's enough, Red.
15:35Now, that's all right, Hoppy.
15:36I guess Red's right.
15:38I do owe you an apology.
15:40You save your apologies
15:41until I bring in the bandits.
15:43We'd better get a couple of hours sleep.
15:45We'll have to start out early.
15:47Now, you relax a little.
15:48We'll catch up with them.
15:49All right, Hoppy.
15:49We had picked up the trail
16:10on the alley back of the bank
16:12and had followed it
16:12for a couple of miles
16:13across country.
16:14The trail was leading us
16:36to a little-used road
16:37that led to the old Benson Homestead
16:39a few miles out of town.
16:44It was exactly the same pattern as before.
17:05Here on the road
17:06were the same wagon tracks
17:07and the same footprints
17:08of three dismounted men
17:09vanishing into thin air.
17:12The wagon tracks were leading
17:13to the Benson house
17:14less than a quarter of a mile away
17:16and now I began to see
17:18who was behind the whole setup.
17:24Just ahead, I knew I'd find
17:26the three bandits
17:26and the man who had driven
17:27the wagon, the mastermind.
17:30And the fourth man was...
17:32Put up your hands, Cassidy.
17:33My gun's in the middle
17:34of Red's back,
17:35so don't touch yours.
17:36Don't move, Hoppy.
17:37They got you covered
17:38from every side.
17:40Gil, keep Cassidy covered
17:41so Steve can get his guns.
17:43I've outsmarted you again, Cassidy.
18:02When your stupid friend here
18:03said you followed
18:03the tracks of my wagon,
18:05I decided not to
18:05underestimate your intelligence.
18:07I knew you'd be on the trail
18:08as soon as it was daylight,
18:09so I backtracked to here.
18:11We'll take him to the house.
18:23Denby was smart, all right.
18:25He had made a down payment
18:26on this place
18:27when he had first come
18:28into the Twin Rivers district
18:29six months ago.
18:31This was his headquarters,
18:32where he could hide the loot
18:33from the robberies
18:34each time he returned
18:35from his trips.
18:36And nobody would ever
18:37suspect him of being
18:39the brains back
18:39of the bandits.
18:47Hold it.
18:48Get the wagon.
18:49Back it up the door.
18:53Get in.
18:53You and Red, sit down there
19:03back to back.
19:05Tie him up.
19:06No, don't use that rope.
19:08Here.
19:09Use this buckskin thorn.
19:12These will look real good
19:13on you, Deacon.
19:13Why, these are beautiful, Cassidy.
19:23Yeah, I think I'll keep them
19:24always to remember you by.
19:27There.
19:28That ought to hold him, Deacon.
19:29All right.
19:33Get that stuff out
19:34of the hiding place
19:35under the floor of the parlor.
19:36Put it in the wagon.
19:37Gil, give him a hand.
19:38I'll take care of these two
19:39until you get the wagon loaded.
19:41Well, Cassidy,
19:42I guess you've pretty well
19:43figured out by now
19:44how I operated.
19:45How I carried my men
19:46from place to place
19:47hidden in the back
19:48of my wagon.
19:49I've got a pretty good idea.
19:52Yeah, with your intelligence,
19:53you would.
19:54I admire you, Cassidy.
19:56Too bad you had to get yourself
19:57in a position where it became
19:58a question of you
19:59or me.
20:00That couldn't happen
20:00to anybody.
20:01There's a fortune
20:02in those boxes.
20:04The result of months
20:04of careful planning.
20:06I trained my men
20:07below the border,
20:08kept them hidden there
20:08until I was ready to act.
20:09With your brains,
20:10you could have been
20:10a rich man
20:11and gone about it
20:12the honest way.
20:15Perhaps too late
20:16to think about that now.
20:17Well, Red,
20:18I suppose you're wondering
20:19what I'm going to do
20:19with you and Cassidy.
20:21I'll bet you're not
20:22figuring on helping us
20:22live to a ripe old age.
20:24You're quite right.
20:25Do you know
20:26where the Black Canyon
20:26quicksands are, Red?
20:28No, that's it.
20:30Yeah.
20:31Shortly, I'll load you
20:32and Red in the back
20:32of the wagon
20:33along with my men.
20:34Then I'll drive
20:35to the quicksands.
20:36Then the men and I
20:37will drive on
20:38without you and Red.
20:39Do I make myself clear?
20:41It'd be a lot easier
20:42if you'd just
20:43done away with us here.
20:45Easier, perhaps,
20:46but not wiser.
20:47Hop along Cassidy
20:48and Red Connors
20:49must disappear completely
20:50without a trace.
20:52Then when your horses
20:53are found,
20:53it's possible
20:54that someone
20:54at Twin Rivers
20:55will conceive the idea
20:56that you two
20:57were in on the robbery.
20:59No matter what happens
21:00to Hoppy and me,
21:01the law will catch up
21:01with you one of these days.
21:03I don't think it will.
21:04The law always
21:05takes care of your time.
21:06Not in my case,
21:07it won't.
21:08Because I've planned
21:09the future
21:09as carefully
21:10as I planned the past.
21:11That robbery
21:12at Twin Rivers
21:12was the final one.
21:15And as soon as
21:16I dispose of you two,
21:17I'll drive on
21:18across the border.
21:19There I'll pay off
21:20my men and disperse them
21:21and I'll live in luxury
21:23for the rest of my life.
21:25Gil.
21:33That's the last
21:34of the boxes, Deacon.
21:35I'll be with you
21:36as soon as I get
21:36my personal belongings.
21:39I'm sure no one
21:42will recognize me
21:43as the man
21:43who was once known
21:44as the Peddling Deacon.
22:04You suppose there's
22:05any water in that boiler
22:06back there?
22:08I ain't thirsty.
22:09I ain't thirsty.
22:10No, for the roid.
22:11The roid stretches
22:12when it's wet.
22:13Oh.
22:15Oh.
22:27Hold it.
22:28Gil, you'll break
22:29your back
22:29lifting that box.
22:31I'll give you a hand.
22:33All right, let's go.
22:34Watch your shoulders.
22:35Yeah, let's...
22:36quiet.
22:39Come on.
22:42Not so tight.
22:48Get her.
22:49Get her.
22:50Come on.
22:50Come on.
22:51Get her.
22:52All right.
22:53Now that we're free, what are we going to do without guns?
23:14Do you ever get a whiff of ammonia?
23:17Come on.
23:17Don't make a move till I tell you.
23:32Get over there.
23:37Get over there.
23:42Get over there.
23:48What's going on here?
23:56How you doing?
23:57Wonderful, Hoppy.
23:58Just wonderful.
24:01All right, you bullcats, on your feet and back in that wagon.
24:12We're going to jail.
24:14Wait a minute.
24:16Ah, it's cleared out enough now.
24:19Get in there.
24:20Leave an eye on them, Red.
24:23All right, Red, you've always wanted to be a mule skinner. Get up there and get at it.
24:40You all set, Brother Cassidy?
24:41All set, Brother Connors.
24:42There'll be a weeping and a wailing and a nice and a teeth, especially that weeping and
24:57wailing.
24:58Come on, Red.
24:59All right, Red, you've always wanted to be a mule skinner.
25:01Get up there and get at it.
25:02You all set, Brother Cassidy?
25:03All set, Brother Connors.
25:05There'll be a weeping and a wailing and a nice and a tea,
25:08especially that weeping and wailing.
25:10Come on, mules, I've got a bet to collect in town.
25:42Come on, mules, I've got a bet to say goodbye until then.
25:46Hop along, Cassidy, so long, hop along.
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